Father Robert L. Heimos, a retired parish priest who served as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Washington for about 17 years, died May 13 at age 78.
Born in St. Louis, he attended St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1967 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter.
Father Heimos’ first assignment was as associate pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Pacific. He was named associate pastor at St. Sabina Parish in Florissant in 1970, St. Thomas the Apostle in Florissant in 1975, St. Stephen Protomartyr in St. Louis in 1980 and Mary Queen of the Universe in Lemay in 1986. Father Heimos was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Washington in 1988 and pastor the following year. He retired in 2005.
At Our Lady of Lourdes, Father Heimos led the construction of an approximately $8 million new church. The structure was the fulfillment of a promise to parishioners from the parish’s inception that one day they would have a permanent church, Father Heimos told the Review in 2004.
He had several roles in the archdiocese, serving at times as a member of the archdiocesan Priests’ Council, co-director of Archdiocesan Pastoral Resources and dean of the Washington Deanery.
Father Heimos’ death was unrelated to the COVID-19 virus. There will be a private service for the immediate family subject to the restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 guidelines.
